Mechanism for actuating and locking elevator-doors.



E. s MILLER.

MECHANISM FOR ACTUATING AND LOCKING ELEVATOR DOORS,

APPLICATION FILED 050.3. 1911,

1,265,804. Patented May 14, 1918.

v I 5 SHEETS-SHEET L M B Z g i v ATTORN, S,

E. S. MILLER.

MECHANISM FOR ACTUATING AND LOCKING ELEVATOR DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3. HM].

Patented May 14, I918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. S. MILLER.

MECHANISM FOR ACTUATING AND LOCKING ELEVATOR DOORS.

APPLICATION HLED DEC. 3. 1917.

Patented May 14, L918. 5 SHEETS-SE15 v E. s. MILLER.

MECHANISM FOR ACTUATING AND LOCKING ELEVATOR DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3. 191].

1,265,804. v Patented May14,1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

- A TTORNE Y w m 7 PV 1 TN [555E S E. S. MILLER.

MECHANISM'FOR ACTUATING AND LOCKING ELEVATOR DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.3. 19!].

,265,804. Patented May 14, 1918,

32 5 sham-SHEET 5.

EMMETT S. MILLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MECHANISM FOR ACTUATING AND LOCKING ELEVATOR-DOORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Application filed December 3, 1917. Serial No. 205,120.

I! '0 all who). it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMETT S. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Actuating and Looking Elevator- Doors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention appertains to improvements in elevator controls and has special reference to mechanism for locking and releasing the doors upon elevator shafts and gates of elevator cars or cages, and for opening and closing said doors and gates when unlocked.

Among the divers obj ects of my invention is the provision of mechanism adapted to open and close both or either the shaft door and the cage gate that can be operated to open the door only when the cage has been stopped at a landing; pneumatic mechanism for cushioning the door and gate in their movements of opening and closing; and, in connection with means controlled by the operator for switching on the power to actuate the door and gate, I have provided devices controlled by the door-operating mechanism for automatically cuttingoff the power for driving such mechanism at the end of each opening and closing operation.

Further objects will be obvious to others after an understanding of my invention is had. I prefer to accomplish the divers objects by substantially the means and in the manner hereinafter fully described and as more particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being now had to the accompanying drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which similar reference characters have been employed to designate the same parts throughout the divers figures.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmental elevation, from the interior of the cage, of the upper portion of the gate and door and the associated mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the mechanism located below the floor or platform of the cage for driving the door and gate opening and closing mechanism, together with the cushioning means and the devices for controlling the motive power.

Fig. 3 is a, top plan of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2, with the floor or platform of the cage removed.

Fig. 4C is a fragmental plan of the means for interlocking the shaft door with the slide for operating the door. 7

Fig. 5 is a similar view of this mechanism when the door is released.

Figs. 6 and 7 are, respectively, front and edge or end elevations of the yoke for connecting the operating mechanism with the cage gate.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view in elevation, illustrating the cushioning and switchcontrolling mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a similar view of this mechanism showing a different position of the relative parts.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic plan of the electrical switch andthe circuit controlling the motor.

In the drawings the shaft is provided with the usual slidable door 1 at each floor and the cage 2 is provided with a collapsible gate 3, that is adapted to slide upon a track l. mounted over the doorway of the cage. Mounted upon the ends of the front wall of the cage are uprights 5, 5, to which the ends of horizontally disposed parallel guide-rods G. 6 are secured, that afford a track and support for a longitudinally reciprocable carriage 7, constructed in substantially the manner illustrated in detail in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. Suitable apertures 8, 8 are made in a pair of upright lugs upon the lower members of the carriage, through which the hooked upperends 10, 10 of a connecting yoke 9 are adapted to be passed, in order to removably secure said yoke to said carriage. This yoke is Y.-shaped, as shown, and its elongated member extends downwardly a distance sufficient to permit it to be securely bolted to one of the bars comprising the collapsible gate, so that in the event of necessity arising to do so, the

gate may be detached therefrom and opened independently of the mechanical operating means.

The mechanism .for the control of the devices for actuating the doors of the shaft and the cage gate is preferably installed below the floor of the cage, and is illustrated in detail in Figs. 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10 of the drawings. It comprises generally a belt for actuating the doors and gate, a motor for supplying the power, a specific form of transmission permitting the power to be applied in' reverse directions, a novel switch for controlling the motor, and devices for automatically disconnecting the power at the mud end. of each opening and closing operation. I have also supplied a ciishioning device. to eliminate the ar or impact when the doors or gate have finished their movements.

'laking up these instruinentalities in their order, I will first point out that these structures are nounted upon a shelf 54: hung from the lower surface of the platform of the cage by suitable brackets Upon this shelf, and conrenientlv adjacent to the walking-beam 50. is secured an electric motor, the shaft of which is provided with a pinion meshing with an enlarged gear mounted upon a shaft journaled in the be; rings in the upper ends of Vertically disposed brackets (50 and (31, mounted upon said shelf. its will be observed from Fig. 3, the bearing bracket 61 not only accommodates the end of shaft 59, but also is provided with a journal 62 positioned transversely to the journal for the shaft 59, which accommodates the transverse shaft Rigidly secured to the transverse shaft (33, are a pair of facing friction disks 6i, and n'iounted upon the shaft is a friction pulley 65. For greater rigidity the t 'ansvcrse shaft is provided with journals 6?, located near the ends thereof. and upon the end of the transverse shaft 63, which ex tends beyond the journal 67, is pro 'ided a pulley or sprocket 68, adapted to cooperate with the power belt or chain 69, to be hereinafter described. Also rigidly secured to the shaft (32-3 is a collar 70. to which is pivoted the adjacent bifurcated end. 71. of a bell crank, the opposite end 71 whereof is connected by means of a link 72 with the depending; arm 73 of the 'f-shaped walkingbeam 50. This walking beam :30 is pivoted intermediate its ends to a supporting bracket 51 pendent from the underside of the cane floor and is actuated by the depressing" foot plungers 52 and that are connected thereto and extend up through the floor of the cage within convenient reach of the conductor or 01 erator, as shown in Fig. .lhe shaft has a slight longitudinal movement in its journals and by means of the inechanisnr just described is adapted to be moved to bring either of the friction disks G t into contact and coaction with the friction pulley 65, thereby securing the application of the power in either required direction.

The power belt or chain (i passe; around four pullers or sprockets T35. located rcspcctirelv in the corners of the front of the elevator cage and the portion of said beltor chain that extends ac 'oss the t p of the cage is adjustably secured to the carriage or runner T bv bolts Tl. Alining with the lower rin of the power belt orchain and upon either side of the pulley or sprocket 68 are upright brackets T5, in the bifurcated upper portions of which are ournaled anti-f iction idlers or oulleys F6. The sprocket tends below die upper cd of the id and the power belt or chain 69 which runs over these idlels is thereby kept in dependable correlation with the under segment of said pulley or sprocket 6S.

lilounted upon suitable brackets T'lfwhich may be conveniently located between the brackets 75, is a CliSillOIllllQ' cylinder 78. The piston operating in said cylinder is secured to an elongated piston rod 79 extending through opposite ends of said cylinder and having its: outer ends supported in the brackets 80. Secured to and extending upwardl from opposite end portions of the piston rod 79 are adjustable arms 81, the upper ends of which are bifurcated or forked to extend upon either side of the power belt or chain and said belt or chain is pro vided with stops 82, which engage, the respective arins S1 near the ends of the opening or closing movements of the door or gate in order to secure the action of the cushioning cylinder 78.

Sccuretfl by means of a bracket plate 93 on the vertical wall of the shelf Si. is a doublea' ting electric-switch S t, that has one of its terminals connected with one of the poles of the motor 56. through the wire 85, while its opposite terminal is connected with a suitable source of electric energ through Tll'Q 8G. The opposite pole of the motor is likewise connccted with the source of electric energy through wire 87. The switch S prefe'ably comprises two separate axially aliuingg cores 5318 and 89, that are rotatablv mounted within a suitable shell or casing; of insulating material. and said cores are respectiveli' provided with transverse contact members 90 and 91, the former of which is adapted to be alternately brought into con tact with its two pairs of binding posts a a and i) 7, and the latter of which, being oppositely dispos d, is adapted to be likewise brought into alternate contact with its respective two pairs of binding posts 7/ and The cores extend through the ends of the switch casino; and the core 88 has a short arm 92. tlCljllSfttlll) secured thereto the lower end of said arni being connected through a link to the lower portion of the arm 7-? ,f the walking-balm. This permits the switch arm 92 to be swung in one direction or the other by the depression of the respective foot plungers 52 and In the same manner the extended end of core 89 is provided with an adjustable arin 9t; to the lower portion of wnich an actuating link connected and the opposite end of said link is adjustably secured to and movable with aninterted ll-shaped frame 96. be lower ends of the parallel members of frame 9% provided with apertures to permit of the frame being loosely mounted upon the piston rod T9 between the upright a 1115 S1 and the respective ends of the cushioning cylinder '78. -",i heii the piston rod 79 is be ing moved in either direction, by one of the stops 82 on the belt engaging its respective arm 81, the arm so engaged will, when it reaches the lateral member of the frame 96 nearest it, move said frame in the same direction with the piston rod 79, and thus rotate the core 89 into contact with the other pair of posts to break the circuit and stop the motor. This will occur only when the door and gate have completed their opening or closing movement, and, when one of the foot plungers 52 or 53 has been depressed for the purpose of reversing the movement of the door and gate, the arm 73 of the walking-beam will, through the link 93 and the arm 92, rotate the opposite core 88 of the switch to again make or close the circuit through the motor.

In order to move the shaft door 1 into an opened or closed position after the same has been unlocked, I have provided said door with a suitable upright member 97, that is mounted upon the side of the door facing into the shaft and extending a suitable distance vertically thereof. Pivotally mounted upon the carriage 7 is a suitable horizontally disposed latch lever 98, the details whereof are illustrated in Figs. at and 5 of the drawings, said latch lever being pivoted adjacent one end upon a bolt 99, secured in the carriage. The longer end of the latch lever is provided with a recess 99 in its outer portion, that is adapted to receive the upright member 97 of the door and the end of said lever beyond this recess is curved or hornshaped, as shown at 100 in Figs. 4: and or in ord r that this portion of the lever will ride over the upright member 97 when approacl'iing the same. Said latch lever is kept normally pressed toward the door 1 by a spring 101, that is mounted upon its pivoted bolt 99, so that accidental dislodgment is avoided. When the door has been closed by the movement of the carriage 7 and its connection through the latch lever 98 with the door. said latch lever is adapted to be disengaged by moving the outer portion thereof toward and between the guide rod (3 upon which the carriage slides. Ihis is done by providing a roller 102 upon the shorter end of the latch lever 97, that adapted to engage the inclined track 103 carried by an adjustable sleeve lO-Lt, mounted upon one of the rods 6. Upon the roller reaching the track 103, the latch lever 98 will be moved away from the door so that its recess 99 will be disengaged from the up:

right member 97 on said door and the cage can be raised and lowered without striking said upright member.

What l claim is 1. In control mechanism for elevators, means for actuating the shaft door and cage gate comprising a reciprocable carriage mounted upon the cage, means for detachably securing the cage gate to said carriage, a latch mounted on said carriage and actuated by the movement thereof to engage and disengage said shaft door, a power belt connected to said carriage, a motor for actuat ing said belt, a compound switch interposed in the circuit of said motor, means for actuating one element of said switch, and devices carried by said power belt adapted to actuate the opposite switch element.

2. In control mechanism for elevators, means for actuating the shaft door and cage gate comprising a reciprocable carriage mounted upon the cage, means connecting the cage gate thereto, a device on said carriage adapted to engage the shaft door, a power belt connected to said carriage, a motor for actuating said belt, a compound switch interposed in the circuit of said motor, means for actuating one element of said switch, and devices operated by, the movement of said power belt adapted to actuate the opposite switch element.

3. In control mechanism for elevators, means for actuating the shaft door and cage gate comprising a reciprocable carriage mounted upon the cage, means connecting the cage gate thereto, a device on said carriage adapted to engage the shaft door, a power belt connected to said carriage, a motor for actuating said belt, a compound switch iterposed in the circuit of said motor, a rod connected to one of the movable elements of said switch, an actuating lever to which the opposite end of said rod is connected, a rod connected to the opposite movable element of said switch. and means operated by the movement of said power belt adapted to move said last mentioned rod.

i. In control mechanism for elevators, means for actuating the shaft door and cage gate comprising a reciprocable carriage mounted upon the cage, means connecting the cage gate thereto, a device'on said carriage adapted to engage the shaft door, a power belt connected to said carriage, a motor for actuating said belt, a compound switch interposed in the circuit of said motor, a rod connected to one of the movable elements of said switch, an actuating lever to which the opposite end of said rod is connected, a rod connected to the opposite movable element of said switch, an intermittently movable device to which the last mentioned rod is connected, and means operated by the movement of said power belt adapted to reciprocate said intermittently movable device.

5.111 control mechanism for elevators, means for actuating the shaft door and cage gate comprising a reciprocable carriage mounted upon the cage, means connecting the cage gate thereto, a device on said carriage adapted to engage the shaft door, a power belt connected to said carriage, a

iiioior for urinating s rah; :1 compoi switch interposed in circuii' of motor a rod con 1: ii ooie eiciiieors of ii ever to which die on is connected :1 rod Q5. sec-rod 1 movable cieinenr of i a de pis'towrod acid;

oi said power heir.x and d irmr 1 ried i said pi -"o11-rod To oh nieniioncd rod 1 coiiiiec'tcii r be actuated zit 1hr end of ca. of said piston-rod.

(3. In control mechzm' for cievo' ors, iii-mos for uctiliii'ing the shaft door and i are fOl'll'j ill'iSing a rcciprocoidi cnrri:

u pon rho the cage goie i'here'ro riogc ndipred to erg age the our: power belt connected to said coriu having stops thereon a motor for a compound switch int said belt, a the circuit of old motor, a rod co:

one of The iiiovzihie elements of said swirci n on actuating lever to which iho opposite end of said rod is czimnccterh a rod (JCHHC'C to the opposite movnhie eiemeiir of s1' switch a reci M adopted to be cogrnged mod 1 I 1 arms While the latter are 11 engage-moot with said belt-stops.

7.?11 control mechanism means for actuating r gate compriiiig 11 the cage gore thereto, rizle'e ado power heir conrie said curring u moior, :1 power shoif'i provider a: pidiey ednpfl'ed actuate sand 3' so W101i CiQYlCES connecting said )Lor and power shaft including rei'ersii iiiecho' a compound switch inijerposeiii m .i'ho circuit of said moioi; means for actuating one eiemerit of sand SfiiiCh and devices operated ts. in i on me c 21101 cage for operating said i 1 f a compound switch josed 111 the circuit of said motor for actuating one element of said srmrch. including a rod actuated by said dev es for operoi'ing tho reversing UlQChw ond devices operated by the movementziid power ocic adapted to actuate the op- "3 switch element.

9. In cootri mechanism for eicvaors moons for cos! ionior the movements of the i doc-r i cage e comprising a cylinand piston therefor; a piston rod 0);- rhroug'h opposire ends 01? said cylin- 1 arms ildizlSiz'ibi) carried upon 2 end portions oi said piston rod, dupied to he moved in oppcr 11s io door and rate the sin 1. u

(h movement of said belt.

mechanism for cievotm's, for chshioring (he nioreolents of The shaft door and cope ote comprising :1 (ZYiiIL d r and pisiion therefor, a piston rod e):- "migh opposite ends of said cylinprocid'ing; device adopted to actuand gate, and m mbers carried opposite port ons of said piston rod udopi'cd to he on ged said reciprocating device whereby said pisioii rod is lilOYGd in directions.

"hiczigro, county iiiois thi; day

oi Cook and of )Tovember,

each, by addressing the Gommissioncr of Poi-emu.

Copies of parent may be obtained for five.

'to11,l0.3." 

